Nottingham Industrial Museum

Nottingham Industrial Museum is a small, volunteer-run museum housed in part of the stables block of Wollaton Hall, in a suburb of Nottingham, England. It tells the story of the industries that shaped the East Midlands, through machines that are often still in working order.

What is the Nottingham Industrial Museum?

The museum was founded by a voluntary group in 1964 and opened to visitors in 1971. Its home is the old service range beside Wollaton Hall, an Elizabethan mansion set in a large park. The stables received an addition in 1829 and were altered around 1830 by the architect Sir Jeffry Wyatville. A steam engine house was added in 1972 as part of the museum.

What can you see inside?

The displays focus on trades and technologies important to the region, including coal mining, railways and lace-making. Highlights include:

• Steam and diesel engines. The collection includes the museum's first object, a beam engine of 1858 from the Basford pumping station.
• A reconstructed horse-gin, the kind of device once used to haul coal up a mine shaft.
• Two traction engines built by Fowler of Leeds, plus a ploughing engine and a threshing machine.
• Transport. Locally made bicycles and motorcycles, and a couple of cars, among them the only surviving Celer.
• Everyday technology. A telephone exchange from the 1940s and a collection of vintage working radios.
• Craft workshops. A working blacksmith, a forge and a woodworking shop, alongside a Victorian kitchen.

Why is it worth a visit?

It is a hands-on, personal look at working history, explained by volunteers who often know the machines well. The museum won the Nottinghamshire Heritage Site of the Year Award in 2012, a local award issued by Experience Nottinghamshire.

Closure and reopening

The collection closed in 2009 after Nottingham City Council withdrew its funding. It later reopened at weekends and bank holidays, helped by a government grant of £91,000, and has been run by volunteers since. Because the opening days are limited and can change, check the museum's website before you go.

Frequently asked questions

Where is it? In the stables block of Wollaton Hall, in the Wollaton suburb of Nottingham. The coordinates are about 52.946, -1.208.

Who runs it? Volunteers. The city council stopped funding it in 2009.

Is it only for engine enthusiasts? No. The kitchen, workshops, radios and telephone exchange suit visitors of any age who are curious about daily life and work in the past.

Can I combine it with Wollaton Hall? Yes. The museum stands in the same grounds, so you can pair it with the hall and the park in one outing.

When is it open? It opens on selected days, mainly weekends and some bank holidays. Check the official website for current times before travelling.